America Movil considers deal for Argentina’s Arsat

America Movil has expressed interest in the possibility of acquiring assets in Argentina’s state-owned communications operator Arsat and Buenos Aires-based cable company TeleCentro, according to local press reports.

The billionaire owner of the Mexican telecoms giant, Carlos Slim, held a private meeting with Argentine president Mauricio Macri to assess investment opportunities in Arsat, which was recently entrusted with bringing low-cost internet access to 1,200 localities throughout Argentina. The deal could see America Movil acquiring a stake in the Refefo Federal Fibre-Optic Network, plus capacity on the Arsat-2 satellite.

Although America Movil is already present in Argentina via its Claro and Telmex Argentina subsidiaries, it cannot provide pay-TV services under the provisions of the Broadcast Media and Telecommunications Law. However, the acquisition of TeleCentro could pave the way for the introduction of quad-play services in the short term, said the report.